Grenada

The indigenous Carib people inhabited Grenada when Christopher COLUMBUS landed on the island in 1498, but it remained uncolonized for more than a century. The French settled Grenada in the 17th century, established sugar estates, and imported large numbers of African slaves. Britain took the island in 1762 and vigorously expanded sugar production. In the 19th century, cacao eventually surpassed sugar as the main export crop; in the 20th century, nutmeg became the leading export. In 1967, Britain gave Grenada autonomy over its internal affairs. Full independence was attained in 1974, making Grenada one of the smallest independent countries in the Western Hemisphere. In 1979, a leftist New Jewel Movement seized power under Maurice BISHOP, ushering in the Grenada Revolution. On 19 October 1983, factions within the revolutionary government overthrew and killed BISHOP and members of his party. Six days later, US forces and those of six other Caribbean nations intervened, quickly capturing the ringleaders and their hundreds of Cuban advisers. Rule of law was restored, and democratic elections were reinstituted the following year and have continued since.

Land

344 sq km

Total

344 sq km

Water

0 sq km

twice the size of Washington, D.C.

tropical; tempered by northeast trade winds

121 km

North America

Highest point

Mount Saint Catherine 840 m

Lowest point

Caribbean Sea 0 m

12 07 N, 61 40 W

20 sq km (2012)

Total

0 km

Agricultural land

23.5% (2023 est.)

Agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 8.8% (2023 est.)

Agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 11.8% (2023 est.)

Agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 2.9% (2023 est.)

arable land

8.82%

Forest

52.1% (2023 est.)

Other

24.4% (2023 est.)

permanent crops

11.76%

No

Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Google Maps

https://goo.gl/maps/rqWyfUAt4xhvk1Zy9

OpenStreetMap

https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/550727

Central America and the Caribbean

Exclusive economic zone

200 nm

Territorial sea

12 nm

lies on edge of hurricane belt; hurricane season lasts from June to November <br><br><strong>volcanism:</strong> Mount Saint Catherine (840 m) is on the island of Grenada; Kick 'em Jenny, an active submarine volcano (seamount) on the Caribbean Sea floor, lies about 8 km (5 mi) north of Grenada; these two volcanoes are at the southern end of the volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends to the Dutch dependency of Saba in the north

timber, tropical fruit

approximately one third of the population is found in the capital of St. George's; the island's population is concentrated along the coast

Caribbean

volcanic in origin with central mountains

UTC-04:00

number of time zones

1

0-14 years

21.9% (male 13,095/female 12,003)

15-64 years

65.3% (male 38,129/female 36,726)

65 years and over

12.8% (2024 est.) (male 6,944/female 7,724)

Beer

3.54 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Other alcohols

0.31 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Spirits

4.21 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Total

8.62 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Wine

0.56 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

13 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

8.41 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

adult female

106 per 1,000

adult male

160 per 1,000

Elderly dependency ratio

19.6 (2024 est.)

Potential support ratio

5.1 (2024 est.)

Total dependency ratio

53.1 (2024 est.)

Youth dependency ratio

33.5 (2024 est.)

Education expenditure (% GDP)

5.1% of GDP (2023 est.)

Education expenditure (% national budget)

11.4% national budget (2025 est.)

5 % of GDP

African descent 82.4%, mixed 13.3%, East Indian 2.2%, other 1.3%, unspecified 0.9% (2011 est.)

0.9 (2025 est.)

5 % of GDP

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

5.7% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

6.3% of national budget (2022 est.)

3.2 beds/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Female

9.5 deaths/1,000 live births

Male

8.6 deaths/1,000 live births

neonatal

12 deaths/1,000 live births

Total

8.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

English (official), French patois

languages

English

number of languages

1

Female

79.1 years

Male

73.7 years

Total population

76.3 years (2024 est.)

39,000 SAINT GEORGE'S (capital) (2018)

48 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Female

35.7 years

Male

35.2 years

Total

35.9 years (2025 est.)

29 births/1,000 women 15-19

Adjective

Grenadian

Noun

Grenadian(s)

-2.16 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

21.3% (2016)

1.38 physicians/1,000 population (2018)

Female

56,453

Male

58,168

Total

114,621 (2024 est.)

0.24% (2025 est.)

Protestant 49.2% (includes Pentecostal 17.2%, Seventh Day Adventist 13.2%, Anglican 8.5%, Baptist 3.2%, Church of God 2.4%, Evangelical 1.9%, Methodist 1.6%, other 1.2%), Roman Catholic 36%, Jehovah's Witness 1.2%, Rastafarian 1.2%, other 5.5%, none 5.7%, unspecified 1.3% (2011 est.)

Female

18 years (2018 est.)

Male

17 years (2018 est.)

Total

18 years (2018 est.)

0-14 years

1.09 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1.04 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.9 male(s)/female

At birth

1.1 male(s)/female

Total population

1.03 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

1.89 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Rate of urbanization

0.86% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Urban population

37.1% of total population (2023)

measles

83%

6 parishes and 1 dependency*; Carriacou and Petite Martinique*, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Mark, Saint Patrick

Etymology

originally named Ville de Fort Royal (Fort Royal Town), the name was changed to Saint George's Town in 1764, in honor of the patron saint of England, when the English took over Grenada from the French; the name was eventually shortened to Saint George's

Geographic coordinates

12 03 N, 61 45 W

Name

Saint George's

Time difference

UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship by birth

yes

Citizenship by descent only

yes

Dual citizenship recognized

yes

Residency requirement for naturalization

7 years for persons from a non-Caribbean state and 4 years for a person from a Caribbean state

svg

https://mainfacts.com/media/images/coats_of_arms/gd.svg

Amendment process

proposed by either house of Parliament; passage requires two-thirds majority vote by the membership in both houses and assent of the governor general; passage of amendments to constitutional sections, such as personal rights and freedoms, the structure, authorities, and procedures of the branches of government, the delimitation of electoral constituencies, or the procedure for amending the constitution, also requires two-thirds majority approval in a referendum

History

previous 1967; latest presented 19 December 1973, effective 7 February 1974, suspended 1979 following a revolution but restored in 1983

alternative spellings

GD

Conventional long form

none

Conventional short form

Grenada

Etymology

origin of the name remains obscure; some sources attribute the designation to Spanish influence (most likely named for the Spanish city of Granada); in Spanish <em>granada </em>means "pomegranate"

FIFA code

GRN

local long form (eng)

Grenada

Chief of mission

the US does not have an official embassy in Grenada; the Charg&eacute; d&rsquo;Affaires to Barbados, Karin B. SULLIVAN, is accredited to Grenada

Email address and website

<br>StgeorgesACS@state.gov<br><br>https://bb.usembassy.gov/embassy/grenada/

Embassy

Lance-aux-Epines, Saint George's

FAX

[1] (473) 444-4820

Mailing address

3180 Grenada Place, Washington DC&nbsp; 20521-3180

Telephone

[1] (473) 444-1173

Chancery

1701 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

Chief of mission

Ambassador Tarlie FRANCIS (since 15 September 2023)

Consulate(s) general

Miami, New York

Email address and website

<br>embassy@grenadaembassyusa.org<br><br>https://grenadaembassyusa.org/

FAX

[1] (202) 265-2468

Telephone

[1] (202) 265-2561

Cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister

Chief of state

King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor General Cecile LA GRENADE (since 7 May 2013)

Election/appointment process

the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the governor general usually appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as prime minister

Head of government

Prime Minister Dickon MITCHELL (since 24 June 2022)

<strong>description:</strong> a rectangle divided diagonally into yellow triangles (top and bottom) and green triangles (left and right), with a wide red border around the flag; three five-pointed yellow stars are centered on the top and bottom of the red border, with one larger yellow star on a red disk at the center of the flag; a small yellow-and-red nutmeg pod is on the left triangle<br><br><strong>meaning:</strong> the seven stars stand for the country's administrative divisions, with the central star symbolizing the capital, St. George's; yellow stands for the sun and the warmth of the people, green for vegetation and agriculture, and red for harmony, unity, and courage

The flag of Grenada features a large central rectangular area surrounded by a red border, with three five-pointed yellow stars centered on the top and bottom borders. The central rectangle is divided diagonally into four alternating triangular areas of yellow at the top and bottom and green on the hoist and fly sides, and a five-pointed yellow star on a red circle is superimposed at its center. A symbolic nutmeg pod is situated on the green hoist-side triangle.

svg

https://flagcdn.com/gd.svg

parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm

7 February 1974 (from the UK)

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

ACP, ACS, AOSIS, CARIFORUM, CARIBCAN, Caricom, CBI, CDB, CELAC, CSME, ECCU, EPA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, Petrocaribe, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WTO

Highest court(s)

regionally, the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) is the superior court of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States; the ECSC is headquartered on St. Lucia and consists of the Court of Appeal -- headed by the chief justice and 4 judges -- and the High Court with 18 judges; the Court of Appeal travels to member states on a schedule to hear appeals from the High Court and subordinate courts&nbsp;

Judge selection and term of office

chief justice of Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court appointed by the British monarch; other justices and judges appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission, and independent body of judicial officials; Court of Appeal justices appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 65; High Court judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 62

Note

<strong>note:</strong> appeals beyond the ECSC in civil and criminal matters are heard by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London)

Subordinate courts

magistrates' courts; Court of Magisterial Appeals

common law based on English model

Legislative structure

bicameral

Legislature name

Parliament

Chamber name

House of Representatives

Electoral system

plurality/majority

Expected date of next election

June 2027

Most recent election date

6/23/2022

Number of seats

15 (all directly elected)

Parties elected and seats per party

National Democratic Congress (NDC) (9); New National Party (NNP) (6)

Percentage of women in chamber

31.3%

Scope of elections

full renewal

Term in office

5 years

Chamber name

Senate

Expected date of next election

August 2027

Most recent election date

8/31/2022

Number of seats

13 (all appointed)

Percentage of women in chamber

30.8%

Scope of elections

full renewal

Term in office

5 years

Grenada’s coat of arms shows Grand Etang Lake, a crater lake on the volcano that formed Grenada; in the center of the shield is Christopher Columbus’s ship, the <em>Santa Maria</em>, which landed on the island in 1498; the gold cross dividing the shield, the two Madonna lilies, and the national motto signal the importance of religion; two lions symbolize past UK rule (1762-1974), as well as Grenada’s current status as a Commonwealth country; the corn stalk and banana plant represent agriculture; the armadillo and Grenada dove next to the shield are native to the island, and the roses in the bougainvillea flower garland represent Grenada’s seven communities

red, yellow, green

Independence Day, 7 February (1974)

Grenada dove, bougainvillea flower

National Democratic Congress or NDC<br>New National Party or NNP

Monday

18 years of age; universal

Yes

sugarcane, coconuts, eggs, vegetables, fruits, bananas, plantains, grapefruits, avocados, mangoes/guavas (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Expenditures

$222.475 million (2017 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Revenues

$288.404 million (2017 est.)

code

XCD

name

Eastern Caribbean dollar (XCD) [$]

$-270,770,770

Current account balance 2022

-$148.445 million (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

-$243.473 million (2023 est.)

Current account balance 2024

-$270.771 million (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

$863.28 million

Debt - external 2023

$501.371 million (2023 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> present value of external debt in current US dollars

small OECS service-based economy; large tourism, construction, transportation, and education sectors; major spice exporter; shrinking but still high public debt; vulnerable to hurricanes; emerging blue economy incentives

Currency

East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2020

2.7 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

2.7 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

2.7 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

2.7 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2024

2.7 (2024 est.)

Exports 2022

$706.195 million (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$828.529 million (2023 est.)

Exports 2024

$858.949 million (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

nutmeg/cardamons, fish, wheat flours, frozen fruits and nuts, aqueous paints (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five export commodities based on value in dollars

USA 24%, Antigua &amp; Barbuda 13%, St. Vincent &amp; the Grenadines 8%, Dominica 6%, Trinidad &amp; Tobago 5% (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

net inflows

$163.93 million

Agriculture

2.7% (2024 est.)

Industry

14.8% (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Services

65.2% (2024 est.)

$1.391 billion (2024 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> data in current dollars at official exchange rate

$11,705

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2018

43.8 (2018 est.)

Note

<strong>note:</strong> index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

$1.24 billion

$10,510

Highest 10%

33.7% (2018 est.)

Lowest 10%

2.1% (2018 est.)

Note

<strong>note:</strong> % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Imports 2022

$785.022 million (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$924.688 million (2023 est.)

Imports 2024

$990.587 million (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

refined petroleum, cars, poultry, ships, plastic products (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five import commodities based on value in dollars

USA 37%, Trinidad &amp; Tobago 13%, Cayman Islands 10%, China 4%, UK 3% (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

2.9% (2024 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

food and beverages, textiles, light assembly operations, tourism, construction, education, call-center operations

1.09%

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

2.6% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

2.7% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

1.1% (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> annual % change based on consumer prices

25% (2018 est.)

note

<strong>note:</strong> % of population with income below national poverty line

Public debt 2016

82% of GDP (2016 est.)

$2.36 billion

Note

<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$1.916 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$2.005 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$2.08 billion (2024 est.)

3.96%

Note

<b>note:</b> annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2022

7.3% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

4.7% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

3.7% (2024 est.)

$20,178

Note

<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2022

$16,400 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$17,100 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$17,700 (2024 est.)

$48.04 million

Note

<b>note:</b> personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2022

5.1% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

5.3% of GDP (2023 est.)

Remittances 2024

5% of GDP (2024 est.)

$423.26 million

Note

<b>note:</b> holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$371.767 million (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$404.13 million (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024

$423.263 million (2024 est.)

Imports

1 metric tons (2023 est.)

Consumption

221.453 million kWh (2023 est.)

Installed generating capacity

60,000 kW (2023 est.)

Transmission/distribution losses

18 million kWh (2023 est.)

Electrification - total population

94.2% (2022 est.)

Fossil fuels

98.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectric

0%

nuclear

0%

renewable

1.97%

Solar

1.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Wind

0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

41.703 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Refined petroleum consumption

2,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

10%

per 100 inhabitants

30 per 100

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

30 (2022 est.)

Total

35,000 (2022 est.)

multiple publicly and privately owned TV and radio stations; state-owned Grenada Information Service (GIS) provides TV and radio; the Grenada Broadcasting Network, jointly owned by the government and the Caribbean Communications Network of Trinidad and Tobago, operates a TV station and 2 radio stations; multi-channel cable TV subscription service is provided by Columbus Communications Grenada (FLOW GRENADA); approximately 25 private radio stations (2019)

.gd

Percent of population

74% (2023 est.)

+1473

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

14 (2022 est.)

Total subscriptions

17,000 (2022 est.)

subscriptions per 100

96 per 100

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

81 (2021 est.)

Total subscriptions

112,000 (2022 est.)

2 (2025)

J3

Left

By type

general cargo 3, other 3

Total

6 (2023)

Key ports

St. George's

Large

0

Medium

0

Ports with oil terminals

1

Small

1

Total ports

1 (2024)

Very small

0

WG

Grenada joined the Caribbean Regional Security System (RSS) in 1985; RSS signatories (Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Guyana, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines) agreed to prepare contingency plans and assist one another, on request, in national emergencies, prevention of smuggling, search and rescue, immigration control, fishery protection, customs and excise control, maritime policing duties, protection of off-shore installations, pollution control, national and other disasters, and threats to national security (2025)

no regular military forces; the Royal Grenada Police Force (under the Ministry of National Security) includes a Coast Guard and a paramilitary Special Services Unit (2025)

IDPs

383 (2024 est.)

From petroleum and other liquids

348,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Total emissions

348,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

deforestation causing habitat and species loss; coastal erosion and contamination; pollution and sedimentation; inadequate solid waste management

Party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

Signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

10.2 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

0 % of total land area

2 % of total

200 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

7 % of internal resources

Agricultural

2.1 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Industrial

0 cubic meters (2022 est.)

Municipal

12 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Municipal solid waste generated annually

29,500 tons (2024 est.)

Percent of municipal solid waste recycled

15.1% (2022 est.)